Sunday, June 10, 2007

Today, I did two things that displays the characteristics of my life: dreaming and procrastination. While I was driving down the road to get some ice cream (I have to drive to do everything), I was listening to an Italo Disco compilation on high volume. While doing this, I found a good track to put on my friend Jessa's mixtape. Every year, I've sent her a tape dependent upon her situation that summer. Last year, she was in small-town Ohio. Year before, she was hanging out at Panther Pond. If she's reading this, the tape this year will be better than both of those combined!

Anyway, that doesn't make me a bad person. This is what makes me a bad person. About three months ago, my friend Elana sent me a care package with a CD, a pack of flowers (I couldn't use these. The front lawn got landscaped, not by my choosing), a pound cake that was delicious, and a copy of Radar. Until today, I hadn't had a chance to read the magazine. Wow, am I a dumbass. It was amazing and I learned way more about Wesley Snipes than I wanted to.

According to the magazine, Snipes is a member of the Nuwaubian movement based in Putnam County, GA. It started in New York, but it has Malachi York as its leader. The movement reminds of Scientology for the following reason. From Radar:

The groups was started int he late 1960s in Brooklyn, where York---a prophet, spritiualist, and according to the group's website, "author of over 350 books" on subjects ranging from Egyptian architecture to alien abductions---lectured to a small band of followers, preaching, among other things, that the world would soon end; that the devil cast a spell thousands of years ago to keep black people spiritually ignorant; that York is an extraterrestrial from the planet Risq; and that malevolent aliens walk among us, poisoning our minds via pop culture. Despite York's more outlandish claims, however, some of his teachings appear to have struck a chord with black nationalists---including rap pioneer Afrika Bambataa and hip-hop aritsts such as Mobb Deep's Prodigy and MF Doom---eager to assert links to the ancient Egyptians.

Now, I'm already familiar with strange Black religious movements such as the Nation of Islam and the presence of the Universal Negro Improvement Association. This is definitely stranger. I should also note that, like the UNIA, the leader of the Nuwaubian movement was arrested. But, unlike Marcus Garvey, York was sentenced to 135 years for sexually molesting boys and girls in the movement. But, imprisonment aside, can you see how this movement is like Scientology. You feel me? Also, if you are of this religion and decide to stop reading my blog, I can't say that I don't blame you because I probably remind you of SATAN! SATAN! SATAN!!!!!